Monday, January 03, 2011

I've had lifetime access to the VIP room at the Spearmint Rhino for years. But ever since breast implants have become the norm, it has become a real chore to hang out in the VIP room. I long for the days before cosmetic surgery.

Don’t get me wrong — the vote is a tremendous honor, a privilege earned by serving 10 years in the Baseball Writers Association of America.

While a writer’s job is to cover news, not make it, the BBWAA remains the right group to select Hall of Famers. No one buys or coerces our votes. We generally get it right. I am not about to relinquish my ballot out of frustration.

But I am indeed frustrated now that players from the Steroid Era are becoming prominent candidates.

The Hall of Fame vote never was simple. Distinguishing between players from different generations never was apples-to-apples. But at least before steroids, the comparisons were baseball comparisons.

Now it’s, “Who did what? For how long? To what extent?” No one knows the answers. It’s likely that no one ever will. But if you believe, as I do, that the questions matter, you can’t help but be torn.

I really hope Rosenthal can overcome these obstacles and cast a vote that others would give their left nut to make. Steel yourself, Kenny. Please don't be torn.